Kashmir attack: Local victims talk with FOX 26 about what happened
The remains of those killed remain unidentified after 26 tourists were killed in a terror attack in Kashmir.
The attack happened on Tuesday.
40,000-45,000 members of the Kashmiri diaspora live in the United States and many in Houston.
HOUSTON - Dozens of people, both students and community members, were at the University of Houston on Thursday afternoon holding a candlelight vigil in memory of 26 tourists killed Tuesday in a terror attack in Kashmir. Those killed haven't all been identified.
Although this happened more than 8,000 miles away from us in Houston, 40,000-45,000 members of the Kashmiri diaspora live in the United States and many in Houston.
"On 19th of January 1990, the whole population came onto the road. They used loud speakers to scare us. They use derogatory slogans," said Surinder Kaul, who moved from Kashmir and lives in Katy.
Kaul is the co-founder of the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora, which is a civil society movement with the goal to move the world's conscience about plight of their Kashmiri Hindu community.
"What is very disturbing is that the terrorists, they identified the victims whether they are Hindus or Muslims. That is very painful," said Kaul.
Dig deeper
There's a tumultuous history for the last 700 years. In 1990, during civil unrest and genocide, Kashmiri Hindus were given the choice to convert, leave or be killed.
Amit Raina who lives in Houston, like Kaul, was one of the hundreds of thousands Kashmiri Hindus that fled.
"It's a grim reminder of the brutal past we had. It took me back to 1990 where I was a 8-9 year-old kid, and my experiences and what we had to go through back then. The pain, the anguish, the brutality. Our community had to go through that genocide," said Raina.
We still don't have confirmation on who these suspects are, but Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will punish "every terrorist and their backers."
The Source
FOX 26 Anchor Rashi Vats spoke with Surinder Kaul, co-founder of the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora, and Amit Raina, who lives in Katy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Confusion reigns as Texas colleges scramble to comply with ban on in-state tuition for undocumented students
Katerin felt her whole body flush when she opened her fall tuition bill from the University of Houston: It had nearly doubled to $7,900. The 24-year-old has lived in Texas since her parents brought her to the U.S. from Mexico when she was 2. Thanks to the 2001 Texas Dream Act, she's always qualified for in-state tuition as she worked toward a master's degree in social work. A federal court ruling swiftly gutted the law in June, ending the benefit for thousands of undocumented students. But Katerin is in the country legally, as a recipient of the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, which protects certain immigrants from deportation and allows them to work legally. Students like Katerin, who asked that her last name not be used over concerns about a relative's undocumented status, should still qualify for in-state tuition, attorneys for Texas said in a court filing. But advocates say some Texas universities are misinterpreting the court ruling, leaving students like Katerin with confusing messages and sky-high tuition bills just as classes are about to begin. Advocates call it an urgent and widespread problem fueled by the lack of state guidance on how to implement the ruling. They worry hundreds of students are being sent incorrect tuition bills and will not have the time, guidance, resources or support to challenge them. 'As someone who was undocumented, I know there are some students who are going to be like, 'I'm not even going to push this,'' said Julieta Garibay, co-founder of United We Dream, a national immigrant advocacy group. 'I'm watching TV and there are people who are literally getting picked up in the middle of the street and getting deported to some other country, not their country of origin. Why am I going to make noise when something could happen to me?' Two weeks after the court's ruling, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board instructed colleges to identify and reclassify students who are not lawfully present in the country as nonresidents for the fall semester. It offered no guidance on how institutions should determine lawful presence or what documentation to accept. A spokesperson for the board did not answer questions from The Texas Tribune. Advocates say without clear guidance from the state, students' ability to continue paying in-state tuition rates can hinge on where they attend college, not whether they qualify. 'What we've seen is a chaotic, haphazard and inconsistent implementation across the state with grave emotional consequences for students … but more importantly, with dire consequences,' said Barbara Hines, who helped write the Texas Dream Act 24 years ago and founded the immigration clinic at the University of Texas School of Law. Hines said the coordinating board should be doing more to help schools implement the ruling. At a minimum, she said, the agency should issue clear guidance that aligns with the Texas Department of Public Safety's categories of lawful presence, lists acceptable proof documents, and sets reasonable timelines for schools to process students' paperwork. She also urged the agency to ensure that universities have trained staff to handle residency reclassifications and communicate accurate information to students. How schools are responding to the change To qualify for in-state tuition under the 2001 Texas Dream Act, students were required to sign an affidavit stating that they would apply for permanent U.S. residency as soon as they were eligible. In 2024, 18,593 Texas college students signed that affidavit. The Tribune contacted the nine public colleges with the largest number of students who signed that affidavit to learn how they are implementing the court's ruling. Those schools were Dallas College, Houston Community College, Lone Star College, the University of Houston, Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Texas at Arlington, and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Texas A&M was the only school that said it will accept the same documents the Texas Department of Public Safety uses to establish lawful presence for a Texas Real ID, which includes an employment authorization document for DACA recipients. The university said it will accept documents until Sept. 10, the fall census date when universities finalize residency status and enrollment counts. A coalition of immigrant rights and legal advocacy groups singled out UT-Austin for creating confusion about the ruling in communications with students. UT-Austin did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Members of the coalition shared with the Tribune messages UT-Austin sent students saying they had until July 24 to submit documents. One message incorrectly stated, 'due to a new Texas law effective June 2025, we now require proof of lawful immigration status.' This was wrong in two ways: there was no new state law, only a federal court ruling, and the message substituted 'lawful immigration status' for 'lawful presence,' the term used in the court's ruling. That narrower category excludes people with DACA, temporary protected status and pending permanent U.S. residency applications. Garibay said UT-Austin is also directing students to a residency questionnaire that omits some current lawful presence categories. She said students in those groups are bumped out of the questionnaire and told to contact the enrollment office, where many get unclear or no answers. Garibay and other advocates told the Tribune they have accompanied some students to the enrollment office, where they were advised to pay the higher out-of-state tuition rate and seek reimbursement later, despite the process taking up to four weeks. The advocates called the advice unreasonable given the other time-sensitive financial decisions students must make at the beginning of the school year, such as whether to sign a lease for an apartment. Garibay also noted that even if UT-Austin students pay tuition in installments, the university requires students to pay the full amount by October. UT-Austin is not the only university where the coalition says students have encountered problems. The coalition said many colleges lack dedicated, trained staff to assist students with questions about the in-state tuition changes. Some have demanded students provide original documents or mistakenly told some noncitizens they could not enroll. 'For many students, that means they have no passport or permanent resident card or other documents, and they're without them for weeks,' said Barbara Hines, former clinical professor of law and founder of the immigration clinic at the University of Texas School of Law. The coalition declined to name those schools, citing their responsiveness to the group's feedback and corrective actions. Of the schools the Tribune contacted, Houston Community College and UT-Arlington did not respond. Dallas College said it could not respond to questions by the Tribune's deadline. Lone Star College declined to answer questions. UT-Rio Grande Valley declined to answer questions, but reiterated a June statement that it aims to minimize disruption to students while following the law. UT-Dallas referred the Tribune to a website that on Monday noted staff were reviewing residency documents submitted between July 16-31. Hines, who helped write the Texas Dream Act 24 years ago, said the agency should have done more to help schools implement the ruling. She said it should have allowed them to grandfather in students who were relying on the Texas Dream Act to graduate from college. Alternatively, she said, the coordinating board could have delayed implementation until 2026 to give schools time to create orderly procedures and students time to understand the requirements. Texas House Democrats made a similar request in a letter earlier this summer, urging the coordinating board to create a temporary tuition category so affected students could continue paying the in-state tuition rate this fall. Commissioner Wynn Rosser rejected the idea, saying the agency did not have the authority to create new categories or to contradict the federal court order. Kristin Etter, director of policy and legal services at the Texas Immigration Law Council, thinks students could challenge the increases under a state law that bars universities from raising tuition after they have registered for classes. She said it is unclear whether it applies to residency reclassifications, though some schools appear to be interpreting that it does not. Fighting to prove she still qualified Katerin is one of six children and entered the DACA program when she was 16. She has never received financial aid or taken out loans, she said, instead paying for her education by working full-time at a nonprofit child placing agency that licenses foster homes and conducts monthly check-ins on the well-being of foster children. She earned an associate degree from Houston Community College, a bachelor's degree from the University of Houston-Downtown, and was admitted to UH's Graduate College of Social Work last year. Her long-term goal is to become a social work professor. On July 22, UH emailed Katerin saying it had changed her status to nonresident because of the ruling. UH gave her until Aug. 8 to prove lawful presence. The message listed documents she could submit as evidence, including a work authorization card issued to DACA recipients. But didn't explicitly say DACA recipients still qualified for in-state tuition. The university's online student portal created confusion, too. Her emails to the registrar's office went unanswered. When she called, she was told to wait more than a week to see if she qualified for in-state tuition. DACA students don't qualify for federal aid, such as the Pell Grants that go to families making less than $50,000 a year. Frustrated by the lack of progress, Katerin reached out to one of her professors, who connected her with an immigrant rights group. With their guidance, she resubmitted documents showing she is a DACA recipient, along with a new Texas Dream Act affidavit the coordinating board had revised. On July 31, UH restored her in-state tuition, reducing her bill to $4,349.32. 'I feel like if it wasn't for me moving, and if it wasn't for me speaking up, the university, they wouldn't care,' Katerin said. In a statement, the University of Houston said it is complying with the court ruling, but did not answer questions about how the changes affect DACA recipients or how it is preventing misclassifications. She expects to graduate in the spring and has saved enough money in case DACA recipients lose in-state tuition eligibility before then, but she believes many students in her situation will be forced to take on debt or drop out if it does. The experience, she said, eroded the pride she once felt in being a UH cougar. 'Now, I'm like, 'let's get through it. Let's graduate already,'' she said. The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Disclosure: Houston Community College, JLone Star College, Texas A&M University, University of Houston, University of Texas - Arlington, University of Texas - Dallas, University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley and University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. More all-star speakers confirmed for The Texas Tribune Festival, Nov. 13–15! This year's lineup just got even more exciting with the addition of State Rep. Caroline Fairly, R-Amarillo; former United States Attorney General Eric Holder; Abby Phillip, anchor of 'CNN NewsNight'; Aaron Reitz, 2026 Republican candidate for Texas Attorney General; and State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin. Get your tickets today! TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. Solve the daily Crossword
Indianapolis Star
12-08-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Hindu temple's sign vandalized with 'message of hate,' Greenwood police investigating
This article will update. An outdoor sign for a Hindu temple in Greenwood was vandalized overnight Aug. 10, a spokesperson for BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir confirmed to IndyStar. Marmik Brahmbhatt, a volunteer with BAPS, described the graffiti as "a message of hate and intolerance against Hindus." The offending message was removed after it was reported to the Greenwood Police Department. The temple, known as a mandir, is one of only a handful of Hindu places of worship in Indiana. Between 200 and 250 people attend every Sunday. Brahmbhatt characterized the offense as a hate crime. A representative for Greenwood police was unavailable for immediate comment, and a report filed with the department indicated that there's an active investigation into "criminal mischief" at the mandir's South Madison Street address. At 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 12, temple leaders will have a peace prayer service. Greenwood mayor Mark Myers is expected to be in attendance, as are other public officials, Brahmbhatt said. "We will continue to pray for peace and harmony amongst people of all backgrounds and beliefs," a statement from the mandir said. On Aug. 11, the Center for Interfaith Cooperation in Indianapolis released a statement condemning the vandalism. "In this time of increasing ignorance, hate, violence and division, CIC calls on all our partners and friends to choose curiosity, respect, empathy and compassion and to stand against violence in all its forms," the statement read in part. The Greenwood vandalism marks the third time a Hindu place of worship has been vandalized so far in the US in 2025, according to the Coalition of Hindus of North America. It comes just days away from Krishna Janmashtami, a major Hindu festival, set to begin on Aug. 16.
Los Angeles Times
11-08-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Islamic court in Indonesia sentences 2 men to public caning for kissing and hugging
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia — An Islamic court in Indonesia 's conservative Aceh province on Monday sentenced two men to public caning, 80 times each, after Islamic religious police caught them engaged in what the court deemed were sexual acts: hugging and kissing. The trial at the Islamic Sharia District Court in Banda Aceh, the provincial capital, was held behind closed doors. Judges have the authority to limit public access in such a case and open it only for the verdict. The two men, ages 20 and 21, were arrested in April after residents saw them entering the same bathroom at Taman Sari city park and reported it to police patrolling the area. The police broke into the bathroom and caught the men kissing and hugging, which the court considered to be a sexual act. The lead judge, Rokhmadi M. Hum, said the two college students were 'legally and convincingly' proved to have violated Islamic law by committing acts that lead to gay sexual relations. The court didn't publicly identify the men. Prosecutors previously sought 85 strokes of the cane for each, but the three-judge panel decided on what they described as lenient punishment because the men were outstanding students who were polite in court, cooperated with authorities and had no previous convictions. The judges also ordered the time they have served to be deducted from their sentence. It means the number of lashes will be reduced by four as they have been detained for four months. The prosecutor, Alfian, who, like many Indonesians, uses only a single name, said he was not satisfied with the lighter sentence. But he said he will not appeal. Aceh is the only province in Muslim-majority Indonesia allowed to observe a version of Islamic law. It allows up to 100 lashes for morality offenses including gay sex. Caning is also punishment for adultery, gambling, drinking and for women who wear tight clothes and men who skip Friday prayers. Indonesia's secular central government granted Aceh the right to implement the law in 2006 as part of a peace deal to end a separatist war. Aceh implemented an expansion in 2015 that extended the law to non-Muslims, who account for about 1% of the province's population. Human rights groups have criticized the law, saying it violates international treaties signed by Indonesia protecting the rights of minorities. Indonesia's national criminal code doesn't regulate homosexuality. Monday's verdict was the fifth time that Aceh has sentenced people to public caning for homosexuality since the Islamic law was implemented. In February, the same court sentenced two men to public caning up to 85 times for gay sex after neighborhood vigilantes in Banda Aceh suspected them of being gay and broke into their rented room to catch them naked and hugging each other. Zamzami writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.
